Mail-bag



(No Model.)

A.A.EPPERT.

MAIL BAG.

No. 374,735. Patented Dec. 13, 1887..

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3o jaws.

UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED A. EPPERT, OF AMELIA, OHIO.

' MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374.735, dated December13. 1887- Applioation tiled November 4, 188i'. Serial No. 254,271. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. EPPERT, a resident of the town of Amelia,Clermont county, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mail-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to -provide a locking dev-ice to beattached on the inside of a mail-bag, to lock automatically, and toldispense with the use of straps and padlocks, and thus save muchvaluable time.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the topportion of a bag and flap with my improved locking device attachedthereto, the outer upper portion of the bag and the shield being brokenaway to show said locking device. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection ofthe top portion of a bag provided with the locking device, the saidparts being in position just before locking. Fig. 3 is a view similar toFig. 2, showing the bag locked. Fig. 4 is a top View ofthe lockingbolt,plate, and spring to be attached to the inside of the flap ofthe bag, asshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the plate shown in Fig.4, showing the manner of attaching the spring thereto. Fig.6isaverticalcrosssection taken through one of the lock-cases, showingthe preferred form and construction of the locking- Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of one of the lock-cases, showing the circular slot in whichthe pin attached to the locking-jaws operates. Fig. 8 is a sideelevation of four of my irnproved lock-cases and hinged plates andconnecting operating mechanism as preferably constructed.

My invention is applicable to any of the ordinary Inail-bags now in use,and is preferably constructed in the following manner: To the inner topportion of the back of the bag is riveted or suitably secured aseries ofplates, A, which are pivoted or hinged together, as shown in Figs. 1,V7, and 8, to allow the bag to be doubled on itself, and also to keepthe locking-jaws an equal distance apart. It' attached to the-leather,these jaws would vary, as the leather would expand when dampened andcontract when dried out. This series of hinged plates entirely overcomesthis difficulty. As shown, and as preferably constructed, to eachalternate plate is attached, in any suitable manner, one of thelock-cases B, in which the jaws b are secured and pivoted in the usualmanner.

Around each ofthe pivots is coiled aspringwire, b', one end of which issecured to the case and the other end to thejaw, as shown in Fig. 6.These jaws b may be secured in locking position by any suitable springmechanism, the object being to constantly keep the jaws locked untilseparated in t-he manner presently to be described. l

' To each of the jaws b is secured a pin, b2, which latter projectsthrough the case, (one on either side,) as shown in'Figs. i' and 8.These jaws b are inclined inward and downward on their upper face at anangle to receive the angular-shaped bolt Cand to permit said bolt beingpressed in between the jaws and separating them. Thejaws are againbrought back into locking 'position so soon as the anged portions ofbolt() have passed the flanged portion of said jaws by means of thesprings b.

Having now described the construction of the hinged plates, loclr-cases,and jaws, I will briefly describe the construction ot' the mechanism forunlocking the jaws.

To the outer end of each of the end plates is (when constructed asshown) pivoted the lever D, to each end of which the chain or strap d isattached, as shown in Fig. 8. One endof this chain .or strap is attachedto a pin or lug, d', made fast, preferably, to the center'connecting-plate, the other end of said chain being attached to thelever. One end of the adjacent reciprocal chain or strap is attached toa lug or pin, d2, made fast to the tumbler D', the other end beingattached to the lever. Near the stationary pins cl the chain has a linkof coiled spring, d, to assist in bringing the parts back into lockingposition, as will hereinafter appear.

The pins b", attached to the jaws b, extend through the openingsv in theloclccases, as shown in Fig. 7, to which pins the chains or straps d aremade fast, as shown in Fig. 8.

When the tumbler D is made to rotate from left to right by means of anysuitablekey, the top chains (when constructed as shown in Fig. 8) aredrawn to the right and the lowerchains or straps are drawn to the left.rlhe pins b2, beingconnected to the chains or straps, willV IOOnecessarily move to the right and left as the chains are moved, and,said pins being connected to the jaws, this right-andleft movement ofthe chains and pins will cause the jaws b to open or separate to allowthe flanged portions of the bolt to escape from said jaws.

Instead of using the levers D at each end,

as shown, two covered pulleys may be employed, the chain or strap ateither end passing over said pulleys instead of being attached to eachend of the levers, as shown. This series of hinged plates, locks, andoperating spring or equivalent, G, in any desired `manl ner. Through anOpening in this `springthe bolt C passes, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, theobject of the Vspring Gbeing to cause theflap to open when the bolt C isreleased from the jaws b, in the manner before described. Thelocking-bolts C pass through suitableopenings, `H,

in the front face of the bag and corresponding openings in the shieldand cases, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When locked, the tendency of thisspring G is to cause the ilangeson boltC to bear against the flangedportion of the jaws b, and so soon as these jaws are separated byrotating the tumbler D the -iiap is made to iiy open through theresiliency of the spring G. This tumbler D is covered with a suitableescutcheon, in the usual manner, and is rotated by a key insertedthrough a suitable opening in the iiap of the bag, as shown in Fig. 1.But one tumbleris necessary to operate two or more of said lockingdevices. When the bag is locked, there is nothing visible from-theoutside, excepting the heads of the bolts or rivets and the keyhole.

The advantages of my device are apparent. Besides being cheap ofmanufacture and simple in construction and operation, the bag cannot beunlocked, except by use of the key. Much time is saved by the use of myinvention, asv

no straps or padlocks are used to take uptime in locking and unlockingthe bag. To lock the bag, all that is required is simply to press theflap on the bag, the locking being accomplished automatically. 'lounlock the bag, the tumbler is rotated by means of the key, thusunlocking the bag in a second of time.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

1. In a lock for mail-bags, aseries of metalliccases containing suitablelocking-j aws, said cases being connected by the hinged plates securedto the inside of the bag, and mechanism consisting of suitable chainsattached to atumbler 'and connecting-pins for simultaneously unlockingall the jaws, the whole being covered with a shield, in combination withlocking-bolts attached to the inside of the flap vof the bag,substantially as set forth.

2. In a lock for mai1bags, the iianged bolts C, springs G, and plates F,attached'to the inside of the iiap, in combination with a series oflocking-jaws secured to the inside of lthe bag, and suitable chainsconnected to said jaws, and mechanism, substantially as described, foroperating said chains, as and lfor the purposes set forth.

3. In a lock for mail-bags, aseries of metallic casiugs, B, having thejaws b secured there` in, connecting-plates A, springs b', forkeepingthe jaws locked, chains d, attached to tumbler D' and to levers D orequivalent devices, pins b, attached to the jaws b and to said chains,and shield E, in combination with bolts C, substantially as set forth.

ALFRED A. EPPERT.

Witnesses:

HENRY Woosr, GEO. W. CRARY.

